September is the perfect time to pull out your favorite fall picture books for Kindergarten! In my classroom, we spend the month diving into fun and meaningful themes like fall leaves and changing seasons, apples, Johnny Appleseed, and farm life. Many Kindergarten classes take field trips to apple orchards or farms in the fall, so these themes naturally fit into our lessons—and the right read-aloud can help make those real-life experiences even more memorable.
Below you’ll find some of my favorite fall picture books for Kindergarten, organized by theme to make your September planning simple and stress-free. Whether you’re introducing science concepts, building background knowledge, or just looking for a cozy seasonal read, there’s something here your students will love!
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We kick off the month with a focus on seasons, changing weather, and fall leaves. This is the perfect time to introduce concepts like what happens to trees in autumn, what kind of clothes we wear, and how animals prepare for the season. You can also incorporate hands-on science and art projects like leaf rubbings, sorting leaves by color or size, or making a fall nature walk journal.There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves by Lucille Colandro
This gentle read explores the subtle changes in nature as summer turns to fall. A great way to introduce seasonal transition.
A fall twist on the classic bear hunt story. This one is perfect for introducing new fall vocabulary and sequencing.
A beautifully illustrated book using real leaves to create creatures and shapes! It’s a great springboard for leaf collage art.
A silly, rhyming favorite! This fall-themed version of the classic story is perfect for retelling, sequencing, and having a few giggles along the way.
Squirrel is convinced someone is stealing the leaves from his tree—but really, it’s just fall! This fun and relatable story introduces the concept of changing seasons in a humorous and engaging way.
September is peak apple season—so we spend a full week learning all about apples! We dive into apple tasting, apple crafts, and teaching the letter Aa. It’s also the perfect time to teach parts of an apple, introduce five senses science, and get in some fun food-themed math and literacy centers.
Take your students on a trip to the apple orchard! This non-fiction picture book is full of facts about how apples grow, types of apples, and harvesting. The detailed illustrations and clear vocabulary make this a fantastic intro to your apples unit.
An apple and a worm? Best friends? This charming story highlights kindness, inclusion, and friendship. It’s a great first-week-of-school read that teaches students not to judge others—and that being a little different is okay.
This silly rhyming story is a classic—and a perfect pairing with a math lesson on counting to 10. You can also tie in sight word practice and name crafts. We love making apple name towers for a bulletin board!
Clayton and Desmond, two mouse friends, want to win the biggest apple contest. In the end, they learn that teamwork makes their apple even better. This is a great read-aloud to emphasize collaboration and community in your classroom.
If you’re looking for a thorough nonfiction read, this is it! Gail Gibbons always does a beautiful job simplifying complex topics. This book covers pollination, the parts of an apple, and the life cycle—great for vocabulary and science integration.
This book offers a close look at the science behind apple growth in a kindergarten-friendly way. It includes just enough detail to spark curiosity without overwhelming young readers. Pair it with apple taste tests or planting apple seeds!
Maria and her family visit an apple orchard and pick apples together. Then they turn the apples into applesauce! This is a great book to read and make some homemade applesauce in the crockpot.
We celebrate Johnny Appleseed Day (September 26th) with a full week of storytelling, writing prompts, and apple-themed crafts. This is a great opportunity to explore American folktales, learn about John Chapman’s real-life contributions, and get creative with fun hats, puppets, or directed drawings.
This simple version of the Johnny Appleseed legend is perfect for young learners. It introduces students to John Chapman in a way that’s easy to understand and engaging for little listeners.
This beautifully illustrated, more detailed version of the Johnny Appleseed story is ideal for a multi-day read-aloud. The rich vocabulary and historical notes make it a great extension after the simpler version.
With colorful pictures and an approachable storyline, this book makes the Johnny Appleseed tale easy to follow—even for Pre-K. It’s perfect for a gentle introduction to folktales and American legends.
We wrap up September with a farm unit, which ties in perfectly with fall field trips to a pumpkin patch or working farm. This is the time to explore farm animals, tools and machines, and jobs on the farm. We love using songs, sorting activities, and writing prompts about favorite animals or “If I lived on a farm…” stories.
A hilarious introduction to farm life and negotiation! Great for opinion writing and talking about fairness.
A gentle, rhythmic book that introduces a variety of farm animals—perfect for building vocabulary and introducing nonfiction animal facts.
This repetitive and engaging read-aloud is always a Kindergarten favorite. Students love joining in!
A beautifully illustrated poetry book that introduces farm animals with rich, descriptive language—perfect for vocabulary building.
Join a red tractor ride around the farm! This rhythmic read is great for sequencing and engaging young learners.
These fall picture books for Kindergarten help anchor your weekly themes with meaningful, engaging stories your students will love. Whether you're teaching about apples, farm animals, or the changing leaves, there's a book here that will fit right into your lesson plans. Looking for books to read in October? Check out my list of favorite Halloween-themed books here!
Do you have a favorite fall picture book for Kindergarten that didn’t make the list? Drop it in the comments, I love adding to my classroom library!
